Wonder Of Advent #15

The Beautiful Scandal

Read: Luke 1:26-38

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Luke 1:38

THE NATIVITY STORY is one of the most beautiful in all of religious literature. It’s the record of how God incarnated his Son into this world to save us. We’re inspired by Mary’s faith and devotion and impressed with the hardship she went through for the privilege of being Jesus’ mother. Her willing response resonates with our hearts.

Sometimes lost on us is the stunning way in which God took on human flesh. It’s fascinating that months before he came to us in the clothes of humility and simplicity, he came to us in the clothes of apparent immorality. He knew that a young woman claiming to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit would be greeted with skepticism and derision. A virgin birth is about as unbelievable as a resurrection. Human minds can’t accept such absurdities unless there’s overwhelmingly convincing proof. And there would be a long thirty years between the mysterious birth and any impressive, public evidence that this child was more than simply human. Mary bore the stigma of having an illegitimate son for a long time—at least among some who knew her story.

Mary’s simple faith in the angel Gabriel’s announcement—“May everything you have said about me come true”—came before she could even begin to understand the plan, before she thought of the reaction people might have, before any signs of confirmation were shown, before the impossible details could even settle into her mind, and before she could figure out how to maintain a good reputation. The absurdity, the appearance of immorality, the scandal and disgrace, the stones that might be thrown at her, the husband who might reject her, the stigma she might have to live with the rest of her life, the isolation from the community of faith—none of these really mattered. When God speaks, everything else is a minor detail.

That’s the attitude we need to have if we want God to do miraculous things in our lives. Our miracles won’t come in clean packages. They may be really messy, even scandalous. They might stretch people’s faith and imagination to the point of resistance. But when God speaks, the reactions of others are irrelevant. Though his words may seem absurd, that is no indication that they aren’t his. When he speaks, the only reasonable response is faith.

Prayer

Lord, grant me such a willing heart that I say yes to you before a reason to say no even occurs to me. May my life always align with your words. Whatever you say, count me in. Amen.

REFLECTION

Do you think Mary was aware of the scandalous nature of Gabriel’s announcement at first? How does the stigma she bore foreshadow the rejection of many believers in Jesus?

Further reading: Matthew 1:18-21

Then spake the mother of pity,

“Lo, the Lord’s handmaid I am.

Aft the word be done to me,”

and at that point God became man.

“MISSUS EST ANGELUS GABRIEL,” MEDIEVAL ENGLISH CAROL